Spinal reconstruction often requires the implantation of support structures into a patient's body in order to reshape and provide support when spinal disorders and diseases have damaged sections of the spinal column. Certain reconstruction techniques used to provide spinal shape and support, include the use of spinal rods that are attached to bone anchors implanted into adjacent vertebrae of the spine of a patient. These rods often require bending during implantation in order to provide the proper shape of the spine and realignment of the vertebrae.
The materials that comprise these rods are required to be of sufficient hardness to withstand the stresses of spinal support but need to be capable of bending in the operating room to provide the required shape during the surgical procedure. With the use of Cobalt Chrome (CoCr) becoming more prevalent, different methods of bending the CoCr rod are needed to make the task easier on the surgeon.
Existing rod benders often require the use of two hands to manipulate the bender, leaving the rod to be held by a second person. A rod bender that requires the use of one hand can provide great benefit to a surgeon. This disclosure describes an improvement over these prior art technologies.